Rest Day in Chennai

Daily miles 0 | Total miles 10,457.43

My second flight from Delhi to Chennai departed after 9:20pm. For some unexpected reason, I was upgraded and sat in row 6. The couple beside me, locals from Chennai, were very kind, and I had the chance to talk with Veena for quite a while — learning about languages, spiritual journeys, food, daily life, and so much more. I genuinely enjoyed our conversation. I arrived on time in Chennai at 12:30pm.

Once I collected my luggage and walked out of the airport, I wondered if Jay might be there even though he said we would meet the next day. And yes — the unmistakable smile was right there waiting for me. What a wonderful welcome. He greeted me with a dupatta and a yellow necklace. To finally meet someone you have admired for a long time is a special and emotional moment. I was tired, but extremely happy.

Jay had a driver with him who took over my luggage and pushed the cart. We made our way to the parking area, and this was the first of many moments where I was learning to let go of doing things myself and let others help.

The honking, the weaving, the bold maneuvers — the traffic felt like pure chaos. And this was considered low traffic in the middle of the night! Somehow, the driver navigated his way through it all. If you follow the rules here, you wouldn’t move a meter — the only way to get anywhere is by constantly bending them or by moving through a space where rules are fluid rather than fixed. Arguments, honking, abrupt stops, sudden accelerations — all of it is just part of getting from A to B.

Once we arrived, the driver unloaded my luggage and someone else at the hotel took it to my room. I was exhausted and slept deeply.

This morning: coffee, shower, message Jay — and then breakfast on the terrace, where a lovely lady prepared delicious food. It was raining like crazy, and it is supposed to continue for several days. I had to be reminded to take off my shoes at the door, even though it was wet inside from all the rain. I ate with my hands, and she served us freshly brewed chai.

After some rest during the downpour, I assembled the buggy, which is now tucked neatly under the stairs. When we left for lunch around 2:30pm, the rain was intense. Side roads were completely flooded, and even the main road had huge puddles on the sides. Our first lunch option was unreachable due to water, and to reach the second one, we had to walk through pouring rain — absolutely drenched by the time we entered.

Jay and I shared a vegetable meal while having an illuminating and meaningful conversation. Afterwards, we walked back — some side roads still looking like shallow rivers. On the way: dogs, cows, barefoot walkers, bold scooters, odd-looking vehicles, and every kind of human story in motion. There is so much to observe here.

Jay and I now have a plan for tomorrow. Soon we’ll have an early dinner and then get good rest before we embark on our run out of Chennai tomorrow morning — with a few people coming along to accompany us out of the city.

Well, what would this world run be without obstacles?

Thanks for checking in and see you tomorrow, Andrea

After some more heavy rain, Jay and I decided to arrange a taxi for tomorrow to drive us out of Chennai so that I’ll hopefully be able to continue the run on Wednesday. The forecast shows continuous heavy rain all day tomorrow, and with the roads already flooded, we want to get beyond the city, where the situation with water buildup is particularly severe.